Inflatable roller.



Nu.'aa9,59o. Patented nec. 24, 190|.

m. Johnson a E. B. MARSHALL.,

mFLATABLE MILLER'.

(Application led Get. 20, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet L (l0 Modal.)

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W A22/0227s No. 689,590. Patented Dec. v24, |90I. l. JOHNSON &. E. B. MARSHALL. INFLATABLE noLLEn.

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y UNITED STATES .aT-ENT Genion.

i MARTIN JOHNSONYAND EDER B. MARSHALL, OF MILVAUKEE, NVISCONSIN.

INFLATABLE ROLLER.

SPECIFICATION forming' 'part 0f Letters Patent No. 689,590, dated December 24, 1901.

Application tiled October 20, 1900. Serial No. 33.735. (ITomodel.)

.To @ZZ ,wh-077e t ina/y concern- Beit known that we, MARTIN JOHNSON and EDER B. MARSHALL, citizens of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Iniatable Rollers, of which the following is a specification. v

Our invention relates to improvements in inflatable rollers for use by printers., lithographers,'&c. As the efficiency ofthe roller depends upon its capability of uniformly distributing ink, moisture, &c., it is obvious that one of the principal requirements for such rollers is that they should exert a uniform pressure at all bearing-points; but it has been found impossible to produce a roller of the types heretofore used which will not soon lose its shape either by bulging at the ends or by becoming fiat-tened at various vpoints in its periphery. l

The objector our invention is to provide a form of roller having an internal pressure or resistance which is uniformly distributed to all bearingpoints on the periphery of the roller.

In the following description reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a View of our improved roller,

drawn partly in section. sectional View of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view. Fig. 4 is a side View of a modification, drawn partly in section and showing a form of construction in which the shaft and roller rotate together,`the shaft being enlarged in the interior of the roller; and Fig. 5 is a crosssectional view of the same.

A is a stationary shaft or bearing-spindle.

B is a cylinder provided with heads B', jour-- naled on the shaft A, with an enlarged portion b and a conical recess b' in the endface. The shaft may be made to revolve with the cylinder, if desired; but the construction shown is preferred, as the inertia is less. If it is desired to have the shaft revoluble, it is obvious that its central portion may be enlarged and used as a substitute for the cylinder B and heads B', the object of these parts being merely to furnish a clamping and supporting surface for the flexible covering-cylinders and a bearing-surface for the in flatable tube, hereinafter described.-

Fig. 2 is a cross- Gis a tube formedofrubber or other materiai impervious to air.

D is a'layer of strong fabric, such as canvas, which is practically inelastic and is also capable of absorbing a considerable quantity of moisture, and E is a covering of mulliten or similar soft absorbent material. W'here the tube C is of rubber, it is preferably vulcanized to the inner surface of the layer D, as it is desirable that such layer should be rigidly secured to the tube throughout its length.

It will be observed that the tube C, layer D, and cover E form a covering-cylinder, which is stretched tightly across the heads B, over the parts b, and extends into the recesses b'. The heads B are 'provided with hubs or projecting sleeves F, through which the shaft A passes, and these hubs are screw-threaded at their outer ends.

G represents conical clamping end pieces provided with tubular apertures through which the hubs F are adapted to pass. These end pieces are adjusted over the hubs and driven forcibly against the ends of the covering-cylinder by means of nut-s H, which are screwed onto the ends of the hubs, whereby the covering-cylinder is securely clamped between the head B' and clamping-piece F, thus forming a joint of great strength and durability.

A fluid-retaining tube I is coiled around the cylinder B and occupies the space between it and the covering-cylinder. This tube is filled with compressed air, which is admitted thereto through a valved duct or passage J. With this construction it is obvious that when the tube I is filled with air sufficiently to give the roller the desired resiliency the internal pressure will be equal at all points, and as the cylinder is fiexible a tendency to excessive pressure at any one point on the periphery will be at once compensated by the compression at such point and the distribution of the pressure to all other points. The tube when inflated presses the covering-cylinder outwardly, so that the cylinder between the heads is of slightly-greater diameter than that of the heads, including the part b thereof.

We have described the tube I as being filled with compressed air; but it is obvious that any other tiuid may be substituted, whether IOO liquid or gaseous, although we prefer to use the air for convenience and on account of its elasticity. The tube may be either loose in the cylinder or secured to the interior walls thereof. Vhen inflated, it will substantially fill the space between the cylinders. The object of the tube is to prevent bulging at the center of the roller, which would result if the tube were omitted. It will, however, be understood that the tube may be dispensed with by otherwise subdividing the space between the cylinders or by providing reinforcing connections between the cylinders. It'will also be understood that where the roller is used for other purposes than that of distributing moist-ure the covering-cylinder may be made of any flexible material adapted to the particular purpose for which it is desired to use the roller.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An inflatable roller, comprising a bearing or spindle; a covering-cylinder of' fiexible material secured to suitable heads on the shaft; a partition wall or walls subdividing the space within the covering-cylinders into a series of compartments having intercomlnunication; and a valved inlet adapted to permit the inflation of the compartments.

2. An infiatable roller comprising a bearing shaft or spindle; a flexible covering-cylinder secured thereto; and a flexible tube coiled or spirally arranged within the covering-cylinder; and means for inliating said tube.

3. An infiatable roller, comprising a supporting bearing shaft or spindle; circular flanges or cylinder-heads thereon; a flexible cylinder secured to the cylinder-heads; and a fluid-containing tube coiled or spirally arranged within the cylinder from one end to the other.

4. An inflatable roller, comprising a supporting bearing shaft or spindle; a covering of flexible material; and a fluid-containing tube coiled or Spirally arranged between the covering and spindle and providedv with a valved inlet.

5. An inflatable roller, comprising a supporting bearing shaft or spindle; a cylinder provided with a flexible periphery; a covering of absorbent material for said cylinder; and a Huid-containing tube coiled or spirally arranged within the cylinder and forming a progressive channel with flexible walls extending around the spindle, and from one end toward the other; together with means for infiating the tube.

G. An inflatable roller, comprising a supporting bearing shaft or spindle; a rigid inner cylinder provided with heads located on the shaft; a flexible outer cylinder secured to said heads; and a fluid-coutaining tube coiled or spirally arranged between the cylinders.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

MARTIN JOHNSON. i EDER B. MARSHALL.

\Vitnesses:

JAS. B. ERWIN, LEvERE'rr C. WHEELER. 

